Just call me a life long learner!

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Laura&Tina

hello Sweet T & friends!

Happy day to you! I have to admit to being “secret jealous” as Tina would say of all the beautiful photography on the many blogs I read. I decided it was time to stop drooling and do something about improving my own. Although I have taken several photography classes in the past, it has literally been YEARS and SO MUCH has changed since then.

My sweet husband gifted me the most AMAZING, fancy-schmancy DSLR camera some time ago and although I get tons of compliments on it I have to say it totally intimidates me! So much so that I will either leave it on manual or revert back to my point and shoot camera. I KNOW there is SO much I can do creatively with this camera as well taking pictures for my online shop which I have sadly neglected. This is entirely do to my perfectionism and lack of knowledge with photography. (Please don’t judge the pictures of my artwork in the shop now~I had to start somewhere, right?)

Well, I made a decision to finally do something about my insecurities and signed up for a class with Brenda De Los Sanos at the Mystic Arts Center. I am beyond excited! Not only will my sweet love, Brett be taking the class with me, but two of my good friends will be as well! It should be 5 weeks of learning, creativity and FUN! I will look forward to sharing my work with you and hope you see an improvement!

Here are a few upcoming classes and workshops I will be teaching at MAC in case you are interested. SUPER EXCITED!!!

ADULT CLASSES

Fearless Sketch Journaling
Laura Gaffke
Have creative block? Haven’t touched paint or drawn since kindergarten? Learn how to express yourself creatively with a sketch journal, even without prior drawing experience.
Monday, April 16

Creative Flow
Laura Gaffke
Develop a creative project you have in mind, or re-energize a series you wish to complete. Work in your choice of oil, acrylic, watercolor, graphite, collage or mixed media on the surface of your choice. Abstract or representational styles are welcome.
Tuesdays, 1pm – 4pm
May 8 – June 5

CHILDREN’S CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Painting and Drawing
Laura Gaffke
Let literature inspire you. Create your own personal vision in paint based on Owl Moon by Jane Yolen.
Monday, April 23, 4:15pm – 5:45pm

Scratch and Sketch
Laura Gaffke
Scratch away the black coating on each page to reveal patterns, swirls, and holographic colors to make images appear like magic!
Monday, June 4, 4:15pm – 5:45pm

Nature Art Camp
DPNC and Laura Gaffke
Join instructors and campers at the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center for three days perusing woods, ponds, and meadows- and for two days at the MAC studios to bring the wonders of the wild to canvas.
July 9 – 13 9am – 11:45am
Ages 7 – 10 Members $140 / Public $165
Call the Nature Center at 860.536.1216 to register

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Unexpected goodness…

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Laura&Tina

"Summer Zest" ©laura gaffke 2012

print available HERE

Hello Sweet T & friends~
It is always awesome when you start your day doing something that feels so right in your heart. Yesterday was one of those days. Although teaching at my studio feels most “at home” to me, I think of the Mystic Arts Center a second home. I swoon every time I pull into the parking lot and see the beautiful Mystic River lined with boats and a quiet peace falls over me. MAC not only offers a wide range of classes it has a beautiful gallery with amazing light as well as an ability to reach out to the community with creative and super FUN events that make the arts approachable. Artini Hour & Art After Dark are my personal favorites. I have met many wonderful people there both in the classes I teach as well as the dedicated staff whom I can now call friends.

The Arts Center just started offering Private Art Lessons in addition to their classes and I was recently reacquainted and paired with a former student of mine who I had not seen in years! She was just as I remembered, full of light, positive energy with an eagerness to learn. Time flew by and I was enlightened by our conversation, the warmth of her heart and this special gift of time she had given to herself. Not everyone allows for creativity in their lives and it is something I believe is necessary and comes in all forms from writing to cooking. It is important to nourish ourselves so that we can nourish others.

Later in the day I was delighted to receive an email from my new student (friend) saying that she had “a new passion: Making colors!” It made me feel so good inside and reminded me how a simple gesture can mean so much. She also shared this poem by one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver which touched my heart. I wanted to share it with you to give you wings and remind you of the importance of YOU.

xo laura

Landscape

Isn’t it plain the sheets of moss, except that

they have no tongues, could lecture

all day if they wanted about

spiritual patience? Isn’t it clear

the black oaks along the path are standing

as though they were the most fragile flowers?

Every morning I walk like this around

the pond, thinking if the doors of my heart

ever close, I am as good as dead.

Every morning, so far, I’m alive. And now

the crows break off from the rest of darkness

and burst up into the sky-as though

all night they had thought of what they would like

their lives to be, and imagined

their strong thick wings.

by Mary Oliver

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Fabulous Fall FUN!

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Laura&Tina

©Laura Gaffke, "Evening Summer Zest" 3 x 3 inches, acrylic on wood

Original painting available HERE

I have spent the past few weeks dreaming and scheduling the Fall classes I will teach at my studio. The dreaming part comes easy~scheduling is another story! Because I am so passionate about teaching I get anxious, wanting to accommodating everyone’s needs. I will be adding more classes soon but for now REGISTRATION is open and classes start in three weeks! YIPPEE!!! I have added an Intro to Altered Books which has been my most popular class as well as an Altered Books II for all of you who have asked for more groovy techniques and a longer class. The Altered Art Club is for those of you who have taken my altered books class or mixed media class and are looking to be part of a wonderful community but don’t need as much direction. Can’t wait! Please feel free to forward this onto anyone you think may be interested. The share button on the bottom makes it easy! Many thanks! Laura

Here are my classes at a glance with a sneak peek at my upcoming workshops. For more detailed information please visit my WEBSITE.

CLASSES AT A GLANCE

Sept. 29-Oct.18th (Tuesdays)—>Soulful Landscapes

Sept. 29-Oct.18th (Tuesday afternoons)—>The Altered Art Club

Sept. 20-Oct. 27th (Thursday evenings)—>The Altered Art Club

Sept. 22-Oct, 20th (Thursdays)—>Intro to Altered Books

Sept. 21-Oct, 19th (Wed. am & pm)—>Altered Books II

Sept. 21-Oct.19th (Wed. afternoons)—>Art & Imagination (children ages 7-10)

Sept. 22-Oct. 20 (Thurs. mornings)—>Creative Flow

WORKSHOP sneak peek

(Dates To Be Announced soon so please check back)

Sketch Journal Workshop

Create your own unique sketchjournal cover to be bound into a fancy schmancy book!

*Tentative dates: Wednesday Sept. 14th 9:30-12:30 & Thursday, Sept. 15th 6-9pm

Stenciling as an Art

Happy Holiday Collages: Patchwork style

Block Printing Workshop: Handmade Cards & Creations in a day

**All lessons held in my sunny studio

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Inspiration or Neglect?

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Laura&Tina

Laura Gaffke, "Summer Inspiration" I just created this new inspiration board. These yummy colors are inspiring some of my new work.

Hello Friends,

Whew! Where did the week go? It went by in a flash for me, that is for sure! I have been teaching, gallery sitting, going to art openings, working out a plan for a jazzy new fire pit at our our house and happily soaking up the days in my studio. I have six new paintings in the works and believe it or not, some of them are BIG! Working on multiple paintings has really freed me up in ways I hadn’t expected. I have been doing a lot of thinking, sketching, dreaming and writing since my workshop with Flora and will share some of my thoughts with you once I have processed it all, as well as my new work.

On another note, it may seem like Tina and I have been neglecting you but we really haven’t, honest! We have just been drifting with the ebb and flow of our lives as artists. Although we haven’t been sharing as much as usual, we both continue to diligently maintain our individual and collaborative studio practice. In addition to this we both have been teaching as well. There are times when planning new courses and teaching becomes part of this artistic practice. This is where we both are right now, immersed in our teaching schedules. We will return to our ongoing postcard project, TAOS and regular working table posts when things ease up a bit and wanted to let you know why we weren’t sharing as much lately. Our Vision/ReVision project will continue weekly and we will certainly be popping in to let you know what we are up to. Thanks for following along on our journey!

Sending sunshine, fireflies and good times your way…Laura (& Tina)

p.s. I just found out my article comes out on patch.com TOMORROW morning!!!! I am SOOO EXCITED!!! Let me know if you see it!

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Love your “place”- Do you?

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Laura&Tina

Watch Hill, RI

Dear Tina & friends~

The butterflies set in over the long weekend when I got an email from Juli Rankin Mancini asking if she could interview me for her column with patch.com. Delighted, curious, anxious, nervous, flattered-Yes, YES, Yes to all of that! I was no short of emotions that was for sure. Tina and I have been blessed to have been interviewed several times for our collaborative work (Artful Blogging, Cassie Premo Steele’s Co-Creating Show (see right side bar) and the Narragansett times) and although I was a tad nervous for those interviews, I felt even MORE jittery because it was the first time I would be running solo. An interview completely about ME as a local artist/business woman! Can you believe it? What can I say, I was over the moon giddy, anxious and immensely grateful for the opportunity!

Our docks. One of my favorite things to do is taking the dinghy's out to the beach at Bluff Point with my honey and some friends. Summer at it's best!

During our interview I was asked some of the usual questions like, Where are you from? What inspires you? and What do you love about where you live? I shared the last question with Brett who got a good chuckle over it because I have struggled with where we live since I moved to Groton, not entirely loving it here (largely due to the noise). At the beginning of the year I decided to turn that around and REALLY appreciate my surroundings. I made a decision that “my home would be my sanctuary” and set this idea on fire by making it one of my affirmations for the year. As I continue to explore my surroundings, I find myself going deeper within and finding such magic in everything. I have realized once again that home is often within and you can find peace wherever you are (even when you live on a noisy street~ha!). Tending my garden both literally and metaphorically has allowed me to pause and truly appreciate what I have. I am fortunate to live right on the water, have met some really good friends in CT, have a growing art and teaching practice and the love of a good man. Where I was once completely homesick for NH I have learned that moving was necessary for me in order to grow.

A glimmer of what's blooming in my garden

Much like my garden which is ablaze with growth and change, I can feel myself growing and changing as well. I am challenging myself to read more and learn new things which I can then share and integrate into my teaching. Sabrina Ward Harrison once said, “teach what you most want to learn” and that is exactly what I will be doing this summer. I have a nice line up of classes and workshops at the Mystic Arts Center, the i5 Teaching Network and at my cozy studio.

Laura Gaffke, "Immersed in Life" acrylic, 18 x 18 inches ©the artist

ALL of the classes fill me up, but I am particularly looking forward to stretching myself with two classes I have never taught before, Travel Journaling & Soulful Landscapes. (Travel Journaling starts this Thursday and runs for five weeks.) As I learned about Travel journaling I have been revisiting past trips and reflecting on moments I wish to savor. I have been pooling over old pictures, sketching, writing and feeling, as I allow the memories to flood in. This is giving me TONS of ideas for my artwork! Sometimes you need to go back before you can go forward.

Here are a few pictures from some of my past trips:

Aruba

BIG SUR

Italy

I often “travel” to my garden where I am inspired and continue to grow, so sometimes you don’t need to go very far.

These are some contour line drawings of flowers in my garden.

What do you most love about where you live? Where are your favorite places to travel? I would love it if you shared your thoughts and ideas in the comments. Maybe there is a place you have dreamed of going to and you just want to put it out there. AMAZING things happen when you do this! Each one of you offers such unique perspective on the world and I believe we can all learn and benefit from sharing. Thanks for taking the time to add to the “conversation”.

xoLaura

I will let you know when the article will be published and leave you with my “classes at a glance.” Course descriptions can be found on my website.

Classes at a Glance

May 26-June 23—-> Altered Books

June 2-June 23—-> Travel Journaling

July 9—->Folding Book Sculpture *Workshop

July 27-Aug. 24—-> Soulful Landscapes

July 28—->The Art of Collage *Workshop

July 29-Aug. 26—->Art & Imagination (children)

Aug. 4—-Book Frame *Workshop

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Creative Commons

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Laura&Tina

Dear Friends,

We have had many conversations around holding our ideas secret for fear of someone taking our ideas as their own. For those who choose to participate in having an online presence (blog, website, facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc etc), this really cuts to the heart of why have an online presence at all. Why put one’s ideas out there if anyone can come along and just swipe it, publish it, and make a million bucks? Well, we here at Laura Two Tina, believe that it is very rare that someone would do this. We really do believe there are more good people than bad. This is a difficult mantra to maintain some days given how the media bombards us with negativity, but we are determined to keep our positive wits and attitude about us. Most importantly, we believe that our work is worthy of sharing with you all here. Going back to our original thought of protecting our collaborative ideas we have thought about copyrights, and then we found an even better answer with Creative Commons. We feel strongly that this is more in tune with the current digital culture and most importantly with our personal goals for collaboration.

Check out this video as an introduction. To quote from their website:

“Creative Commons has released “A Shared Culture,” a short video by renowned filmmaker Jesse Dylan. Known for helming a variety of films, music videos, and the Emmy Award-winning “Yes We Can” Barack Obama campaign video collaboration with rapper will.i.am, Dylan created “A Shared Culture” to help spread the word about the Creative Commons mission.”

In the video, some of the leading thinkers behind Creative Commons describe how the organization is helping “save the world from failed sharing” through free tools that enable creators to easily make their work available to the public for legal sharing and remix. Dylan puts the Creative Commons system into action by punctuating the interview footage with dozens of photos that have been offered to the public for use under CC licenses. Similarly, he used two CC-licensed instrumental pieces by Nine Inch Nails as the video’s soundtrack music. These tracks, “17 Ghosts II” and “21 Ghosts III,” come from the Nine Inch Nails album Ghosts I-IV, which was released earlier this year under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license. (See attribution details at this link)

SO, yes we do own all the ideas on this website under the standard copyright laws, but we are allowing some wiggle room for you to try out some of our ideas with your own flavor. Here is what our Creative Commons License indicates (check out our button on the right hand margin of this page):

We hope this clarifies for you who we are and what we hope to be for you. We hope that more people collaborate, share, and co-create and we see this bit of legalize as a way of allowing for that. Please let us know if anything on our blog inspires you to do a similar project of your own with another person and we would like to give you a dedicated blog post. We would really enjoy seeing how you may have folded our ideas into yours.

In collaboration,

Tina and Laura

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More artful affirmations to WOW you with!

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Laura&Tina

Hello Sweet Friends!

You may remember me writing about my DREAM class in this last post where I talked about Positive Affirmations and why I found then so powerful. This class, like so many of my classes filled my heart with joy! I was delighted to receive a few more pictures of the finished books to share with you. Each one is SO special and unique! The fabulous artists are Cathy Dwyer, Sica Nielsen & Elaine Brooks. Aren’t they WONDERFUL?

Cheery Smiles your way…Laura

*I had so much fun teaching this class and would love to teach it again. Let me know if you have a group of friends who may enjoy a fun afternoon creating! I cannot tell you how grateful I was to be surrounded by such warm, bright spirits, laughing, creating and sharing together!

by Cathy Dwyer

by Sica Nielsen

by Elaine Brooks

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Blooming in the New Year!

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Laura&Tina

Just playing with my camera. Cute little elves aren't they?

HAPPY NEW YEAR to YOU!

I have had the most enchanting time visiting with family & friends in NH but have missed the “conversation” with you and Tina. I am presently getting ready for a little New Year’s soiree and as I reflect on this past year I have been feeling VERY appreciative of all of the gracious love & support you have given us! Every comment you leave warms our heart, lets us know you were here and reminds us that what we are doing matters so don’t be shy about sharing your thoughts with us. They are a gift and make our day!

Your comments are like little gifts to us. THANK YOU for leaving them!

Having only had snippets of time to journal lately I thought I would see if I could make sense of my meandering thoughts and share them with you!

So much of who I am today is a direct result of the people I surround myself with. This is something I think about often. I am blessed in this life to have a wonderful family, a loving husband and friends who stand by me allowing me the time and space needed to work through that stuff that everyone goes through. This is done without judgement and greatly appreciated especially when I feel like I am all over the place, don’t make sense, am unsure or even a bit gloomy (not how I usually like to think of myself).

I recently treated myself to a necklace created by my friend Wendy. It is symbolic of how my relationships are a catalyst to growth. This dainty little number fashions a petit silver flower, two glass beads and a silver circle with the word “bloom” stamped into. She had other necklaces equally as lovely boasting words like “wish” and “dream” but this one struck a cord in my heart and I wanted it as a reminder of how one can choose to blossom in this world or let life pass you by. I believe you blossom when you are open to others, new experiences, different perspectives, knowledge and learn from these things. Since growth has been a reoccurring theme in my artwork it felt natural to reflect on the ways I cultivate the things most dear to me: the love of my husband, friendships, family, professional relationships, my artwork, home, garden, self-care, pets and so it goes. Some areas are fruitful while others I realize need some tending to.

Laura Gaffke "Messenger of Wisdom 4" x 4" mixed media 2010

Trying to juggle all aspects of your life at one time can be challenging and certainly requires BALANCE~a word that often makes me cringe as I find it to be a constant struggle. One way I have tried find balance is with my teaching and artwork. It is always my wish to create classes that help me stretch and grow. As I dream of new classes to teach I ask myself these questions:

What do I want to learn?

How can I learn from others?

How can this translate into my artwork? my life?

How can what I am learning help others?

These are seamless questions both in my teaching and my life and it is rewarding when they cross pollinate. Teaching not only provides an income for me but feeds my soul as I continue to learn from those around me. I am honored when others share their gifts and have been blessed to have been surrounded by many gracious people, now friends who have taken my classes (THANK YOU!). My hope for the NEW YEAR is to continue to grow with others. I have had great joy planning and dreaming the most luscious classes I could think of, hoping they will tantalize you and help you BLOOM! Please visit my WEBSITE for all the details.

Wishing you wonderment, love & JOY in the New Year!

Cheery Smiles,
Laura

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

– Roald Dahl